To disprove the commonly held perception that owning a gun makes a home safer, non-profit organization the States United To Prevent Gun Violence created the following social experiment.

Together with New York-based agency Grey, a gun store with hidden cameras was set up in New York City.

Each gun in the store had an attached tag that indicated the shootings or killings that it was involved in, with the aim of changing the minds of first-time gun buyers.

The PSA then ends with its message: “Every gun has a history. Let’s not repeat it.”

The executive director of States United To Prevent Gun Violence, Julia Wyman said, “Our goal is to educate those looking to purchase a firearm and ensure they are aware of the potential risks (and to promote responsible gun ownership).”

“Often gun purchasers wrongly believe guns will keep them safe when in fact a gun in the home greatly increases the risk of homicide and suicide. This sets the record straight so consumers can make an informed choice to buy a firearm or not.”